we are taking our 5year old out of the country for the first time this year. We need a portable oxygen concentrator which can be used on the plane (by battery) and can be used whilst plugged in for his overnight needs.
Long shot but does anyone know of any used ones being sold or any recommendations for hire companies?
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Lilly2023
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Does he not get one from the NHS? If he is on oxygen I think he should. You will need to cehck with the airline by the way; usually no problem I am told.
All sorted for airline and fit to fly from respiratory consultant. We have home oxygen but companies don’t let you take it out of UK, it needs to be hired or privately owned
When I was using a POC and was travelling out of the country then this company were very helpful. You could try them to hire POC for your little one to use.
Hi Lilly2023, do you know which country you are looking at travelling to? The reason I ask is because, you are travelling outside Europe to the USA or further afield, you will need more batteries for your journey for the flight and getting to your destination, the FAA stipulates you need need enough batteries to cover you for 1.5 times your journey.
You would have to work out the battery time for your flow rate whilst travelling. You won’t be able to use your Portable Oxygen Concentrator for bedtime, because most POC’s are Pulse Flow which are unsuitable for sleeping with, you would need a Continuous Flow POC, which are available, but are much larger and awkward for walking around with and have a much lower flow rate, they only go up to 3 and have much shorter battery life between charges.
I also have to use Ambulatory Oxygen for waking and I also have to use a BiPAP ventilator at bedtime, which the NHS allows me to take all over the world when travelling, but for some weird reason the Ambulatory Oxygen Concentrator I also need can only be used in the UK, for that reason I had to buy my own personal POC for travelling abroad, I really don’t understand why they don’t allow people to take their NHS Oxygen Concentrator abroad as long as you take out Travel Insurance Cover, it just seems ridiculous.
As PaulineHM said healthoxygen.com are probably your best option, but unfortunately it can be expensive.
I might be talking/writing absolute rubbish but don`t airplanes have oxygen onboard for emergencies? If so, could your child use the drop down masks? Worth asking airline. Chris.
Hi LissacFrance, I don’t think the oxygen they use in the emergency masks is sufficient, because I don’t think the flow rate would be personally adjustable for each passenger, however some airlines will provide you with oxygen for flying with if you are prescribed it by your Respiratory Specialist.
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